The highly implausible adventures of Emma
by Arkani
Summary: first off I don't own Pokemon. If i did, i'd be rich. I sure as hell aint rich. A fic set a thousand years after the destruction of my region.. well, territory. Pokeopia has died, leaving a desert region behind, and all Emma wants to do is find her mum.
1. Chapter 1

**THE (MOSTLY UNORIGINAL)**

**STORY**

**OF **

**EMMA RALD**

The rising sun glimmers warmly as the cool of dawn washes over the land. Far away, a lone Dodrio sings out its welcome to the golden orb, as Taillow and Pidgeotto rustle their feathers and wish for fifteen minutes more sleep, sometimes rather grumpily.

Lets center in on a town. Lets say… This one - Eclipse Retreat. In the crater of a long dead volcano, on the ouskirts of the Lunar Region, the small village is nestled, with its two guardians watching over them, one for the day, one for the night.

Gyracabulldash, The Welcomer of the light, to the left, and Nidoyenabatooler, Predatory guardian of the night. The two statues of the guardians were placed in times long gone, when the Lunar Region was considered part of the now-gone Pokeopia Territory.

Although the statues have no definite dates on when they were placed, The villagers do know who made and placed them - two Artisans, by the name of Kira and Arkani. Kira, the midnight Artisan, Created Gyracabulldash, while Arkani, the Noon Artisan, created Nidoyenabatooler. Gyracabulldash, looking like a noble, yet savage Pokemon Warlord from the worlds end, and Nidoyenabatooler, the denzien from your worst nightmares (the ones that make you afraid to go to sleep for a month), glimmered dewily in the cool rays, as the 'Celebi light' (a dull glow around each of the statues as the dark turns to light or vice versa) twinkled and spun around them.

All was normal, as it should be.


	2. Chapter 2

**Day 1: History is BORING.**

**(and repetitive.)**

"Hi! Sorry to keep you waiting!" the gratingly tinny device said, showing a small, flickering hologram of a middle aged man in shorts and labcoat moving as though talking - though it didnt work much. The sound was off by more than five seconds.

"Welcome to the world of Pokemon! My name is Birch." Birch, as he is now to be called, moved, and took a small orb-type object from one of his holographic pockets, before continuing. ",But everyone calls me the Pokemon Professor."

Opening the orb, a flicker of light lit up his features for a moment, and before him stood a small, six-legged leaf. "This is what we call a "Pokemon". "

Towards the back of the dimmed class, Emma, our Heroinie, did a bored sketch of the Guardian Gyracabulldash, muttering to herself "no shit, sherlock…" and got a stern glare from the teacher, who was leaning up against the classroom wall.

The small hologram "pokemon" looked happily around, and said "Lotad!" its voice echoing through time to fall mostly on deaf ears. Lotad had died out a long time ago, when a drought had gripped the whole planet for nearly a millenia, and any life at all barely survived. Within the last 150 years, the drought had finally slackened off a little, and water was becoming slightly more available. Many grass pokemon, unable to survive solely on water from water type pokemon, had died out, or had become hardier, more desert type pokemon. The one who excelled at this was the Cacnea ev. branch.

"This world is widely inhabited by creatures known as pokemon." Emma rolled her eyes, but mad eno comment… aloud. "We humans live alongside Pokemon, at times friendly playmates, and at times as co-operative workmates." Emma couldnt help but snort in a derisive tone when hearing this - to her, back in the old days, pokemon had been used for nothing more than free labour. All the surviving evidence of that era supported her theory too.

"Emma…" the teacher, also Emma's mother, said quietly, but warningly. Emma rolled her eyes in response.

"And sometimes, we band together and battle others like us." a flickering picture replaced Birch for a minute, showing two long-exctinct, though once common pokemon, a Nidorino, and a Gengar, fighting one another. Flicking back onto the hologram, Birch continued, recalling the Lotad.

"But, despite our closeness, we don't know everything about Pokemon.In fact, there are many, many secrets surrounding Pokemon. To unravel Pokemon mysteries, I've been undertaking research. That's what I do. You can find my lab…" the hologram went fuzzy and the voice faded out, worn with age and wear.

The lights came back on, and Emma looked boredly out the window, at the lone figure of Nidoyenabatooler, who stood silently, the Celebi light still glowing around her.

Returning her atention to the classroom, she slackly wrote down the 'homework' she was assigned, a 500 word essay about the inner meanings of what the hologram had told them, using their notes they had taken down. Well, if they had bothered to - which Emma hadn't.

The bell rang, and in the usual rush and clutter of everyone trying to get out the door first, Emma slipped out of her chair, and tried to blend in with the herd, to get out unnoticed.

"Emma? I need a word." The teachers voice sounded out clearly above the rabble. Emma flinched inwardly. Great. This can only mean one thing - detention. She stepped aside, and melted up against the wall, waiting for everyone to have left the room, in the qiet morning hours, before the primary junior school kids came in to school.

(Junior kids get morning hrs, middle get afternoon, and senior get night. theres only 2 rooms for the whole school, and one is the staff room.)

"Yes muuuum." Emma said, dragging her words out, flopping into a chair.

"emma…" her mother started, then paused. "Emma." she started again, her voice a bit stronger. "Wht were you doing in class? you -know- you'll fail and have to redo the year if you dont pass your next test - whats going on?" the mother asked the daughter, clearly worried for her spawn's welfare.

"nuthins sup." Emma said slackly, sucking at a bit of her hair - two creamy blond bangs hung fluffily on each side of her slightly canid face, that was covered in an extremely fine orange down. She was a Pokemorph, but just barely. The thinnest trace of Arcanine ran through her veins, the same as her mother. She looked boredly up at that same mother, Sapphire Blue eyes showing nothing but extreme boredom.

Because of the scarcity of water and pokemon these days, the whole concept of 'pokemon trainers' had largely been abandoned, due to too many deaths over tiny water holes, and the arid land. Otherwise Emma would have been well into her Journey, at nearly twenty three years of age. Instead, she had schooling, and farmwork on the village plot, using all the knowledge she had aquired over the years to get a meal from the herd of cows (some had miltank or tauros in them, but, like Emma, it was a very faint strain.) and the vegetables, using nothing but filthy water, used at least two dozen times, for washing dishes and clothes, sometimes even themselves, but the vegies grew… stunted and often non-bearing, but they at least did grow.

Emma's mother gave her a worried look, but said, "go now. its time for your work with the stock. I have to prepare for the next class." Emma didnt complain, she was very good in handling the stock, and hell - it was better than boring old school!


	3. Chapter 3

**DAY 1.2: enter witty title here **

Emma groaned, and flopped down on her bed, barely pausing to take off her mucky shoes. She had spent most of her community time mucking out the Ponyta and Rapidash stables - being creatures of fire, they needed no water, and had survived the world-changing drought.

Reaching over to her bedside table, she groped around for a small plate she kept stocked with Crystallised Ginga Berries - they had the delicious crystallised Ginger flavour, but were nearly thirty times more nutritious, when you got a good batch. Finding them, she picked one up, and proceded to nibble on it, staring up at her roof - that was almost literally plastered with pictures and drawings of extinct Pokemon - Pikachu, Shiftry, Tyrannitar, even the mighty Charizard, who had no sightings for over seventy years… and hundreds more. Literally.

The sun, high in the sky, beat down upon the village, all the inhabitants safely out of its rays. The young kids had finished their school, and were at home, or a friends, chilling out, until it was their turn at the communal area, and the middle school kids were yet to start. Emma's mother was pulling a triple shift, and would not be home until late that night.

Finishing the berry, Emma rolled off the bed, and got into the shower. A short while later, she was asleep in bed, due to her mainly nocturnal schooling.


	4. Chapter 4

**Day 1.3 : Dream Weaver**

Emma walked over silver bathed desert, outside of the Crater. she knew where she was going, despite never being outside her village, let alone the crater. She started - a lithe, yet bulky shadow passed over her - yet there was no shadow. she continued on, with the eerie sensation of being watched. Her feet left no mark on the soft soil, though she didnt realise it.

Suddenly, the trees and bushes parted - leaving an open serengetti… a serengetti that Emma felt, somehow, shouldn't be there. In the middle, a bulky, obviously furred shadow stood.

"Come closer, Emma." she thought she heard the shadow say. She hesitated, unsure.

"I will not harm you, child." The figure said again, the silvery moonlight now shining down upon it, showing silver bathed fur, over a slightly canid, slightly blobby form. Tiny eyes glimmered with gentle humour as they gazed upon the Morph. Three small red triangles on each side of its wide muzzle glowed slightly, as it waited.

Taking a breath, Emma moved forward, hesitantly. She thought she saw a tall, lean, obviously Pokemorph figure walk past her, confidently, towards the Pokemon, as she figured out what it was. She looked again, and saw no shadow… of the figure, or even on the Pokemon itself. It started to dawn on her that she may be dreaming.

She reached where the Pokemon had been, and without knowing how, sat on her haunches, a little way from the shaggy beast, that had conveniently reappeared.

"Emma. Long have I waited for you - Last of the Arcanine Pokemorphs." Its red triangles glowed slightly more as he spoke.

"How… How do you know my name?" Emma queried, without bothering to ask why she could understand it, then asked "And what are you?"

The heavy set pokemon chuckled "Not what… Who. I-" He stood up properly, not that it made much difference to his height, and continued "I - am Zardotieon, formerly known as Chartodileon."

Without warning, a loud grating, blaring noise jolted through Emma, and her eyes flew open.


	5. Chapter 5

**DAY 2.1: Wait…What?**

The loud, infuriating noise surged through Emma like she had stuck a spork into a power socket.

She leapt out of bed, feeling… indescribable. her emotions ran the gamut, from utterly depressed, to hyeractive. she headed straight for a set of draws, and pulled it open, revealing multitudes of manilla folders, all carefully labled, and alphabetically sorted. Heading straight for 'Z', she had no luck at finding what she was after, finally pausing, and thinking about what she was doing.

'Wait…what? what am I doing? I'm looking for somethign that was only rumoured! not a real pokemon at all! My minds just playing tricks on me. Yeah. That's it.' She closed the drawer, with thud. Leaving the room, she couldnt help feeling uncomftorble, like she was doing something bad. Shrugging off the feeling, she went downstairs to get some food.

She shrieked for a second, before catching herself. That Pokemon…thing… Was standing in front of her. "Emma…" it started to say, but Emma was gone, backpeddaling into her room, and closing the door rather quickly.

Breathing hard, leaning against the door, Emma shook herself mentally. 'No. NO. I'm just imagining it.' she said firmly to herself, and took a deep breath. 'but then… why does it seem so real?' She gathered herself, and opened the door once more. Nothing.

Cautiously, she made her way down to the kitchen, half-expecting the Pokemon to jump her at any moment. Nothing happened - the house was silent. Rumaging through the fridge, she emerged with a silverside and beetroot sandwich she had made earlier, before she went to school. Sitting down at the table, she tried to fix her mind on nothing, but encountered some difficulty.

The image of the lone Pokemorph she had imagined she'd seen in her dream, blackened out against the blinding dawn sun. Its ears were pricked, as it looked away, seemingly intent on something, came to her mind, and was pushed away, repeatedly.

After she finished her meal, she went to the nearest couch, and flopped into it, mashing a few buttons as she channel-surfed. The fleeting image of a Pokemon made her backpedal five stations, as she caught the last few words of what had been a news bulletin - "Reports are unconfirmed, But authorities are saying to keep an eye out, and report anything to them. We leave you now with an image of the Late Arkani, Heir to the Region." as the news music grew louder, an ancient movie rolled, without sound, of course.

What Emma saw struck her like a tonne of Pidgey Poop. The Pokemorph figure that had popped into her head… The strange figure she saw in her dream… they WERE Arkani. She didn't know how it was so.. But the Artisan was back, it seemed. Which was a technical impossibility - Arkani had left this world hundreds of years ago… And if Arkani was supposed to be back… What of Kira? Or the other 'Chosen', who had inadvertently caused the sinking of the continents, but saved the world from destruction (literally)?

Jade and Peter… Royals above Royals…

Kihaz and Keshi… Wise and resourceful (oh , the many uses for drool they found!)

Karan and Nuke… Compassion and Strength…

James and Zephyr… Quick-thinking and Corageous…

what happens to them? They are all Mortal, like everyone (bar the now forgotten Pokemon, Mew, Celebi, Kyogre and Groudon) else on this dried out rock.

These thoughts and more flickered through her mind… and left her thoroughly confused.


	6. Chapter 6

**DAY 2.2**

**DAMN THEM HOLO-PLAYERS!**

Upon reaching school in the early evening, Emma had a vague plan set out… a pretty lame plan at that. upon the successful lying about the non-doing of her homework, she resumed the non-learning in class, fidgety and restless. The Substitute, shot a worrying look at her, which she ignored, and continued blacking out her pad with the old biro's fading ink.

At long last, the class was dismissed, Emma having successfully wurmpled her way out of any and all questions directed at her, she hung back, pretending to be looking through her bag… which was a load of bull - she didnt have a bag. When everyone, including the Substitute had left, she beedrill-lined her way to the storage cupboard. One of the fantastic things she learned about being the daughter of a teacher - she knew the combination to the cupboard's lock.

The lock clicked open, and the door swung open silently. Glancing around shiftily, Emma reached into the space, and withdrew a long, flattish object, black, fading to green in some spots, with a pokeball-like logo on it, taking up most of the top half of it. A Holo-Player.

Sliding it between the books she was holding, she closed and locked the Cupboard door, and slipped out of the room, and out of the school - Stealthily as a hunting Persian.

Step one was complete.

Oddly enough, she encountered no-one as she made her way to her secret base, which didn't strike her as odd at the time.

Reaching her base, she curled up in a croner of it, and withdrew the pilfered item, dappeld sunlight of the tree she was in breaking through the leaves at random places, with the ebb and tide of the slight breeze. Emma looked over it, creamy hair/fur glimmering white-gold at the touch of sunbeams, for any mark or trace of how to use the thing.

She tried shaking it, rubbing it over with her lightly furred paw, poking it in random places, and even contemplated sitting on it. After many hours, and one frustrated, murderous, not-quite-pokemorph later, Emma gave up, carefully flinging the item away, grumbling under her breath about the unfairness of it all, and how it wouldnt open even if commanded to by Nidoyenabatooler itself.

Still bitching to herself, she stood, and went to the entrance tunnel to her base, and clambered out of it. Once again, no-one was to be seen, and Emma had the haunting feeling that she was being watched. "Zardtodileon?" She called out, feeling slightly stupid calling to a pokemon that could not possibly existed, and if it had, it should have been long extinct. "Zardtodileon? Anyone?" She repeated, the Noon sun beating down on her.

'Need to get out of this sun…' she thought to herself, wandering around the hauntingly deserted village. Only the distant lowing of cattle on the other side of town, near her base, could be heard. No Growlithe playing roughly in the dirt road… No Blaziken at the glassworks… no Glassmaker either… the place was deserted.

Seeing the outstretched winged figure of Nidoyenabatooler shimmering slightly in the Noon heat, Emma beelined for it, muttering "It's wings will do for shade…"


	7. Chapter 7

**nine hundred and eighty two years ago...**

A heavily furred back glistened slightly, the matted fur soaked with sweat from working in the sun in the seemingly endless summer. 'Groudon's sure got it in for us...' the owner of the back thought, wiping her face and muzzle, squeezing the sweat off her fur.

Ears pricked towards the other side of the grassy plain, golden with the unrelenting heat. Stroking the side of the giant granite block she was standing next to, that was roughly etched into a strange, blob of a quadrupedal figure, the pokemorph walked over to the only building that graced the crater - a two roomed shack, that was being fixed up, made into a mud brick house by another figure.

"phew." the 'morph said, after dunking her head in the 44-gallon barrel they used for bathing and cleaning up. Still dripping, she walked over to the other person, rubbing her face with with an ancient towel. Through the open door of the house, two huge beasts lay sprawled, on opposite sides of the largest room, resting in the stifling heat of day. The smaller of the two, usually ruby red fur was damp and darkened, sweat clinging to its body, making it look skinny and malnourished, somehow hiding the layers of bulging muscle encasing its frame. A huge pair of shearing scissors was withing paws reach of it.

The larger creature sometimes looked over at the smaller, a bit worriedly, it being able to take the heat a little better, since it had scales, and wasnt fully furred. It shone with the glistening of oil on its scales, keeping them moist, so it didnt lose all ability to move until it moulted. After a few, hesitant words to the smaller one, which was always answered with a snarling bark, and sometimes a paw moving towards the scissors, and if the larger one looked like it was going to get up, it was nearly always beaten up shortly afterwards.

Despite the hostility, they were very close... though both would rather kill than admit it.

The 'morph joined her friend at the mud-brick grid, and helped heave the frame off the portion of the baked squarish rectangles.

"its starting to look good." The human (or was she?) commented, meaning both the Granite blocks, anf the shack.

"Indeed it is. They shall be pleased, i think, when it is done." the 'morph added, collecting the bricks, and placing them in a rough pile on a pallet.

"Indeed." the reply came, keeping up with the mock formalness. Dropping it, she said quietly "What happens to the pups?"

"I dont know... She dosent want them anymore, now theyre weaned... He wouldnt have the slightest clue of what to do with them.. I think its best for us to show them." the morph said, looking towards the mountianous ridge in the background.

No audiable answer came - because the other was nodding.


	8. Chapter 8

**Returning to the present day... (2.3)**

Emma groaned, feeling hot and sweaty... and incredibly thirsty. She opened her eyes, and promptly shut them again. Feirce, unrelenting afternoon sunlight beat down upon her, giving her the answer to why she felt so hot.

Rolling over, she reached the long, now slightly faded shadow of the nidoyenabatooler's wings, and sighed, as she got to her feet, thinking about an icy glass of iced H2O. She looked around, getting her bearings...

And her skull nearly collided with the shade-giver's head.

"wha...What?" Emma said, speechless. The once proud, granite face of Nidoyenabatooler had warped into a snarling, fang-bared, furious fashion.

She backed away, then fled back to her base. Not even noticing that everyone was still missing.

Panting from the heat and exertion when she clambered into the tree she had decked out, she took a long drink from the barrel of water in the corner, not even bothering to get her mug, then proceded to dunk her head in the cool liquid.

Shaking her head and upper body rather canidly, a momentary flash of dosens of rainbows flickered through the air, as water droplets went flying.

Sinking to the ground, she recalled that weirdass dream she had had when she dozed off under the figures wing. "Well... I havent been licking Politoeds..." she muttered to herself, randomly recalling how the only way Politoeds existed was through the generations of only being evolved to Poliwrath, the fighting type being able to survive the planet, and how they were finally, yet sporadically, being evolved to Politoed once more... plus another random fact that Politoeds secreted a slime that gave a high to anyone that licked it, and were a choice peice of prey for avian hunters.

That left only two options - she was dreaming, and it was just a freakyass dream, or... it ws a true account of someting that happened nearly a millenia ago? Emma opted for the dream.

"thats what it was... Just a dream. A weird, nonsensical dream." she convinced herself, however weakly. All this weird stuff happening to her - Zardtodileon... The villagers dissapearing... The hallusination... It must he a sheer coincidence.. but then -- whoever heard of such a thing?

Paws drifted to the device she had casually tossed to the floor earlier. "Why won't you start?" she asked it, tiredly. The thing.. did nothing. She put the device down, and went over to her hammock, which was strung in a corner. Snuggling into it, hand/feet/paws tucked underneath her, a handy trait still retained from her Pokemoprh heratige, she yawned widely, slightly pointed teeth bared for a mament, and, without knowing how, she fell asleep, remembering no dreams, except for one...


	9. Chapter 9

**the dream**

XD

A sharply sloping hill, with dead grass lay before her. Two lion like pokemon that Emma didnt recall stood on on a ledge halfway down the slope, looking very sketchy, like a rough draing for a minute. The filled themselves in with fur and colour, and began laughing heartily as they sprung to life. Alongside them, down a non ledged part of the cliff, a river burst forth from the crest, pouring down the slope, the liquid crystal clear and utterly delicious looking.

Amid the froth and steam of the river's source, three cubs appeare.d Two bearing wings, one withoug, a myriad of colours - blues, red, and creamy greens. Laughing, like the adulyss that bore no resemblance to them, they leapt off the crest, and into the river.

Emma watched them run through it, their splashing making it hard for her to see them - but what she did see, was the cubs growing rapidly, laughing, full of joy the whole time, cantering along. At the end of the slope, where a largeish boulder jutted out, they jumped onto it, and bounded off, into the lake that the river emptied into nearly underpaw, as lanky adolescents.

There was a lot of steam and smoke and vopour as the cubs... no... adults padded out, perfectly dry, laughing still - their voices deep, powerful, harmonious. They looked almost the same - considering their different features, brothers in paws.

They looked towards Emma, who got the feeling they could see her, even though in the dream she had no physical form, and were calling her. Beckoning her to come forward. the tweo lion pokemon floated down, and stood next to the once-cubs. One of them opened its golden fanged maw, about to say something...


	10. Chapter 10

**Is it just me.. or am I bonkers? (Day 3) **

Emma's eyes flew open, pale blue pupils dilated.

"crap!" she swore, fuming. She swore she had seen that place before.. Been.. to that place before.. Yet she knew for a fact there was nothing remotely resembling that place in the crater, and she had never been outside it.

Thinking she heard a sound, she looked over, and saw Zardtodileon, the dull pre-dawn light dappling the Time Lord a deep blue colour. (none of it was super intelligent, though.)

You wake.. he said, matter-of-factly. In his paws, was the blackish device.. and a slightly mournful feel about him.. Memories, Emma realised, staring at him.

"so.. your'e real?" she asked, not bothering to think weter or not it could understand her language.

Yes, Pokemorph. I am real. the answer was direct, and the tone a little harsh. The pokemon leveled its gaze on her, markings glowing slightly. You dreamt... What did you see? 

Emma explained the dream to Zardtodileon, without a second thought. Sitting on the side of her bed, she concluded, "But.. I get the feeling that it was going to say something... Something important."

Describe that one for me. 

"well..." Emma groped for where to begin, and took a breath. "Well, It was big. Like, as tall as me, at the shoulder. It - it was really shaggy, the fur was a sorta golden brown, that glowed reddish at the same time. It did have these weird cuffs around its legs, just above its paws, and the were a leadish colour. Uhm... oh! It didn't have a tail, but it did have two weird spiked ridges down its back, on each side, with what sorta looked like a giant cloud between them, billowing and stuff, though there wasnt any wind. Its face..." Emma shuddered involutnarily, remembering the incredibly intense gase it had had. " it's face... it was.. like a crimson mask, with these silvery gold fangs dropping down, like a sabre toothed Persian. It also had this golden crest, no.. more like acrown. Yeah.. I think thats it." she finished, trying to remember if she had missed anything.

Zardtodileon was staring at Emma, dumbstruck. The Red Lord.. he breathed, then queried his chosen again. Those... Cubs.. that you watched. Describe them. 

iIt can't be... but if it is... why?/i the words echoed through his head, suspicious, yet curious... and a little apprehensive.

"okay... there were three, like i said. They were all red and blue, in different combinations. two had wings, and the third was pretty scaley, though they were all a mix of fur and scales. they sorta had.. nidoran-y ears.. and resembled the guardians.. sorta. Pretty bad description, huh." she said, laughing a little.

A slight tremor rippled through the earth, as Emma awaited Zardtodileon's reply.

Zardtodileon paused, feeling the tremor, thinking of the beasts Emma had described, then gasped. Come on. we have to move out. now. 

Emma looked puzzled. "Why?"

Cutting her off, Zardtodileon snapped, Just come. Now. as another slight tremor was felt through his sensetive footpads.

"Well, if youre going to be nasty, no. I don't think i'll go with you." the reply came, a touch of annoyance infusing it."

Snarling, Zardtodileon grabbed her by the wrist. Come. NOW. His shaggy fur over his back was standing on end, forming quill-like clumps.

A larger tremor rumbled through, and emma dug in her paws, feeling the earth's place war against each other. "What.. What was that?" she asked the air.

The reason why we have to go. NOW. Zardtodileon replied, his fur laying down a little, though his voice still had the roughness of a snarl in it. Still clutching Emma's wrist, he dragged her to the entrance of her Base, and pushed aside the leafy screen that covered the door.


	11. Chapter 11

**Day 3.2 - out of the Canyon... **

Pushing aside the foliage that formed the drro to Emma's base, the world revealed itself to them. The sky, which had been a clear, pure blue hue, had deepend, and seemingly puked up its guts - green, dangerous shafts of cloud cover were sprawled across the expanse, intertwined with nearly black, heavy looking colouds, which lit up with a sickly yellow glow intermittently.

"what... what happened?" Emma asked, having ignored the sky, but swept her gaze over the buildings.. or, what was left of them. Rubble, strewn everywhere, littered the canyon. Even her own house, she saw, had been eradicated from the face of the planet.

The stock were hightailing it out of the canyon, hooves kicking up thick, choking dustclouds, that hung in the thick air, before being whipped up by a sharp gust of wind, and hurled it into a small tornado, attacking a distant tree. a faint splintering sound was heard, and a vague, winged shape was mimentarily viewed in the center of the sandstorm, as the dust fell to the earth abruptly, leaving an empty spot where a tree had just stood, all traced of it eradicated.

The air had turned from dry and hot, to hotter, and humid, almost unbearably so. It felt like you could slash it with your claws, amd see the tears in the air.

The only things still standing, were thelone, imposing figures of the guardians, the celebii-light glowing furiously over them.. and, strangely, the schoolhouse, which was engulfed in the strange light.

All this was taken in in a few moments, and as Emma had gazed in pained awe at her birthplace, Zardtodileon had summoned a long staff, each end tipped with a fang, of two similar, yet different origins. In the middle, purple and red fur had been woven together, into intricate patterns, that somehow gave the impression of there being a purple form and red form in the weaving, though there was no such thing on it.

Re-adjusting his grip on Emma, Zardtodileon leapt from the tree, landing lightly on the parched ground, as Emma broke free, and rolled awkwardly away onto the ground, sprawling out as she stopped.

Zardtodileon had been chanting since before he jumped off the ledge of her base, and he changed the tone, instead of that of summoning, it was now a worried, pleading tonw, as he stared blankly into the staff itself, so it seemed. An orange and blue spark resided in the very heart of the fang's glow, pulsing slightlyas in response to Zardtodileon's words.

From far above, out of the mucky cauldron of the sky, the strange glowings of the clouds had multiplied - from a sickliy yellow, a pale, almost pink glow had joined in, as well as a whitish blue glow.

An unearthly shreik tore through the skies, as a bolt of the whitish blue colour resounded down to earth, ripping up dust and chunks of earth, depositing an impossibly tall pillar of shining clear stuff, like glass... or ice. Almost immediatley after, a pillar of red arked down, obliterating the first pillar, loosing a thick fog (but no llamas..) and sending more debris in all directions.

The fog lit up, glowing a pale yellowish colour, as a sparking bolt rushed to earth, as another bolt of red followed by two shreiks of... rage? pain? shattered the sky, as anothe blue bolt, followed by what looked like daggers of glass careered towards the parched earth.

The earth heaved, flinging Emma backwards onto her rear, and Zardtodileon remained rock solid, stoically standing there, oblivious to all that surrounded him.

Struggling to her feet, emma staggered over to Zardtodileon, and put a hand on him - recoiling instantly, from the white hot energy that coursed him, feeling like he'd electrocuted her.

"Zardtodileon!" she yelled, above the thunderous roar of a midair explosion, caused by two of the bolts colliding, another shattering rip in the sky from above the clouds, and the duller sounding (probably caused through the concussing shockwaves of before) smash of blue onto the earth.

Zardtodileon's words could not be heard, though he was obviously still chanting in an unintelligable tongue.

"Zardtodileon!" Emma yelled again, her voice being drowned in the almost non stop roars, crashes and thunderings from all around. She shreiked, as a line of gold appeared not a meter away from her, exploding a second after, throwing dirt and vegetal matter into the air, and onto her.

She looked around - her land, where she had been born, where she grew up - was dying. Flames rained down upon the barren earth, hail in the shape of daggers dissected anything in its way, and luminous thinderbolts smashed through the clouds, obliterating everything in its path.

"NO!" she cried in anguish as the stone form of Gyracabulldash was struck, the green glow seeming to fight the bolt of flames that had engulfed it. With an almighty heaving of the earth, another, vicious quake tremor roared through the crater. Another bolt joined the flames, and with another lurch of the earth, a second bolt of energy arced towards the huge stone homage to the Guardian.

Time seemed to pause, as the green glow engulfing the protector of day shrank, then grew, shattering its stone confines, and with a deafening roar, the voice of a long gone guardian reverbrated through the body of Emma, strange mental images flocking to her - being snarled at by another, smaller winged crature, an overwhelming sense of fear at sharp metal blades, glorious battles, pitting itself against a smaller, though equally strong opponent... and an adoration of three.

The inages exited Emma's mind as soon as they were assaulted, leaving her feeling uncannily like she had suffered the loss of a great friend, as she watched an enormous green, glowing form of the guardian standing in front of her. It somehow peered into her pale blue eyes, and a voice that sounded like fire, ice, lightning and pure, unbridled power engulfed her. "Day has ended." there was the slightest hint of sorrow in its voice, though there was also a yearning in it as well.

And with that, the energy form leapt over her head, fluidly, and sped towards the other Guardian, Nidoyenabatooler. Careering into it, there was another huge explosion, as a second form shattered out from its confines.

"Night has begun!" it crowed, a ravenous warcry echoing through emma, and around the canyon. Spreading its batlike wings, it leapt into the sky, followed by the first.

Emma latched onto Zardtodileon, as the green energies scattered, lighting the sky with their glow. The fire, ice and lightning increased, as the high pitched creaking that had been wailing for a few minutes now reached paramount, and emma saw, as the greeninsh glow lit her and Zardtodileon, the old school collapse, in a pile of dust and mudbricks.

Something deep inside her emerged, painful beyond the realms of normal loss, as she dug ner nails into Zardtodileon's thick pelt. A golden orange energy burst forth from her, drowning out the green energy of Zardtodileon, the staff he was holding resonating with a similar motion, intertwining red and purples, threading into Emma's orangey gold, as it grew veins and ventured into the staff.

She raised her head to the sky, and Roared, pain, sorrow, and loss, above all, giving her voice. She seemed to grow, and clutched Zardtodileon more tightly, snarling, her fangs glittering dangerously. Opening her eyes, an onlooker (if you were unfortunate enough to be there) could see that they were glazed, and were glowing brightly, as she shouted to the sky, a thousand year old curse.

The green of Zardtodileon, the Red and Purple of the staff, and the golden orange of Emma surged together, creating a white orb, engulfing them. They shimmered, and dissapeared, as a final, violent have of the ground caused the collapse of the walls guarding the canyon, ending the lifespan of the Eclipse Retreat.


	12. Chapter 12

**Oooh... glowy...**

Emma clutched onto Zardtodileon, eyes squeezed shut. his form was limp, as Emma confirmed when she shook him. pausing, she looked up, and found herself surrounded by a glowing, pulsing warm amber colour.

An odd pokemon was standing, shrouded in the glow, obsuring Emma's view of it. "Who... who are you?" she demanded, not letting go of Zardtodileon.

no reply was heard, but a wave of what felt like gentle laughter washed over her. An image implanted itself in her mind, along with another wave of emotion - this time sorrow, a hollow, energy draining sorrow. the image was intricatley detailed, showing the minute ridges that had been etched into a block of Granite... Gyracabulldash, Emma realised.

_I know he has been destroyed..._ a voice echoed around, thick with a strange accent. _ but that is not why I mourn._

"then why do you mourn?" emma asked, ignoring common manners and asking directly.

_I mourn.. for the loss of my work. For the loss of the eclipse crater. for the loss of my home. Now.. I can either go to the void, which i will not do... or follow one of the last heirs to the Pokeopian throne._ the voice seemed uncertian, then as if it decided it didn't care.

"O...kay..." Emma said, glancing at Zardtodileon.

_He will be fine..._ the tone changed again, as an almost visible pawlike hand reached out, almost able to touch the shaggy pelt of Zardtodileon. _ Ah.. my old friend... how time has not ravaged you, as it did I... everyone misses you._ The hand withdrew, and the glow grew stronger.

**_You._** a voice rang out, as another form joined the first, this one decidedly a beast. **_You, descendant of founders, have survived the unsurvivable, somehow. The test is a success._**

"that.. that was a TEST??" Emma said increduously, her voice progressively growing louder until she was shouting. "Who the hell destroys my home as a test?"

_**It was going to collapse in a matter of days anyway. We distributed the Villagers among the rest of the world, erasing their memory, giving them new lives, as we did not want to see them die, as they surely would have.**_

Emma cut across the voice with a yell, hers quavering slightly with barely retained fury. "YOU. You dragged me through this.. HELL, turning my life upside down, taking away my mother, blowing up my HOME, all so you can say that 'the test was SUCCESSFUL?'" she paused minutely, drawing in a breath, body sahking slightly. "WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?"

a pause spread silently between them, as the first voice said _All will be revealed, and you have shown us much. Yes, things have happened that were uncalled for, but all will be revealed. But- _the voice said, the glow starting to fade, along with the two voices _Do not trust the one that is seven..._ the message repeated itself, everything growing darker, until there was nothing but black.


	13. Chapter 13

**erm... (day 4)**

Zardtodileon groaned, sprawled out on a bed of sharp rocks. His whole form ached, and not only due to the points pressing into him. images flashed past his dazed mind, of the previous day's events.

_I... I couldnt stop them..._ he groaned inwardly. _they wouldnt listen..._ a faint tickling irritated his ear, and he flicked it absently. his ear continued to be irritated, and he finally opened his eyes, coming face to face with a shaggy Growlithe.

He suppressed a yelp, as the Growlithe asked, obviously having trouble speaking, Zardto..dileon? Arre you okay? its black nose twitched slightly as it talked. It leaned back, and sat on its haunches, a profoundly confused look on its face, as Zardtodileon sat up, and stood up, turning to face the Growlithe.

Who are you? he asked, suspiciously. His markings glowed, his gaze focused directly on the Growlithe.

i'm... The puppy Pokemon paused, seeming to look inside itself for a moment. I... don't know who I am. All I know is that your'e a Zardtodileon. Its ears flicked back slightly, as it was obviously trying to remember who it was, even if it had had a name in the beginning.

Well, you are correct, I am Zardtodileon. he paused, looking around him. Surrounded by a vast, seemingly endless plain laden with golden grass, and other weed-like plants, he had managed to be deposited in the only painful place in miles. he picked outa sharp rock that had burrowed into his fur, frowning slightly, as if he had forgotten somehting.

He turned to the Growlithe, and almost Tackled it, saying blandly, Where is Emma, Growlithe? 

Growlithe gave him a blank look, and looked around. er.. there isnt a Growlithe here, mate. I'm not a Pokemon. And who is Emma? its ears were cocked, its muzzle wrinkled a little, in confusion.

This time, Zardtodileon actually did tackle the growlithe, and hung over it, claws digging into its thick fur. Where... he rasped, his voice savage with snarling at the same time, Is Emma, Growlithe! 

Taken by surprise, the Growlithe was tackled to its back, and the wind was knocked out of it. wha-? it gasped, winded. It snarled in return, at the larger Pokemon on top of it. I told you, I don't know who Emma is! it said, small fangs gleaming. An orange glow shone from behind its teeth, and it jerked its head up, and used Ember right in Zardtodileon's face.

Gaah! Zardtodileon recoiled, stepping away from the Growlithe, embers singing his fur. Growlithe rolled away, and got to its paws, hackles raised, snarling.

Zardtodileon shook the last embers off itself, and leapt at Growlithe, claws extended.

Dust rose, billowing out and around the two pokemon, as the clawed, bit, and snarled at each other.

"what the..." a voice said, head barely poking out of the long grass. It shuffled forward, having trouble through the grass, until it stood on the edge of the flattened grass, and just out of the dustcloud.

Hey! she shouted, trying to stop the fighting beasts, but without getting involved. The Growlithe and Zardtodileon continued attacking each other.

Fine... the small pokemon grumbled to itself after it became apparent that neither was going to back down, even though the Growlithe was taking a massive beating.

STOP FIGHTING! The new pokemon cried, and sent what she thought was a Leer at the Pokemon.. only a tingle of sparks surrounded her, and shot toward both duelists, seperating them, a thin strand of Thunderwave entrapping them.

Growlithe glared at her, and tried to move its head to Ember her.. .but found he was unable to move his head, let alone use a special attack.

Zardtodileon was less affected by it, and stronger than the Growlithe. Inching his head up, he glared at the newcomer, and if his jaw couldv'e dropped, it would've.

The Dratini-esque pokemon looked from Growlithe to Zardtodileon. It released the electrical bindings on Zardtodileon, and looked at him suspiciously. What's going on, Zardtodileon? she asked, glancing at the bleeding and bruised Growlithe.

Zardtodileon's markings glowed furiously, as he cast his eyes down, almost instantly flicking them back up to the strange Dratini, as the Dratini in question glanced to the sqirming Growlithe, the bindings starting to wear off.

with a crackle, the Growlithe broke free, and bounded towards the Dratini, completely ingoring Zardtodileon.

The dratini made a 'huh' noise, and whipped its blazing tail around, slamming it into the leaping growlithe's head, sending it grinding to a halt in front of a huge tan paw.

eep. the Dratini said, looking up at the owner of the paw. A huge Arcanine shadowed the growlithe, who looked up, and similarly 'eeped'.

The Arcanine looked from Zardtodileon, lingered over Dratini, and then looked down onto its spawn. and what... it asked, eyeing the battered pokemon that was cowering slightly under the gaze of its mother, Did you do this time? 

Zardtodileon spoke up, noticing the look that the Arcanine had given the strange dratini.

Uh, that would be half my fault - I thought he had done something to my freind, Emma. I refused to believe him, and I inadvertantly provoked him, and... yeah. he shrugged, looking from the creamy gold and flame orange striped, flametailed Dratini, to the Arcanine.

the Dratinine (for that is what she was) butted in, before Arcanine could say anything. But.. Zardtodileon.. I am Emma. 


End file.
